Joan Parker

• Strengthening the role of AIDS-affected MSEs in productive markets

  01.09.2005
  With 39.4 million people HIV-positive or living with AIDS around the world, AIDS is having a huge economic impact on households, businesses and national economies. This article examines the effects that the illness has on large firms, micro and small enterprises (MSEs) and on households. MSEs already face constraints to market access, and the difficulties of sustaining MSEs affected by HIV/AIDS in supply chains is discussed, using the case of the Kenyan green beans sector as an example. The article describes promising approaches to addressing these constraints and mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS on MSEs, such as asset protection via financial and legal services, workplace programmes and horizontal linkages through producer associations.